The official opening ceremony of the Croatian helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) has taken place in Rijeka.

The event included a demonstration of a unique combined rescue system, consisting of the collaboration between a speed boat, a helicopter and an ambulance, all working together to ensure the quickest intervention time across the coastal areas of Croatia.

The Croatian HEMS is operated by a consortium formed by Spanish operator Eliance Aviation and its Italian and Croatian subsidiaries Elifriulia and EliAdriatik. Last year it participated in the tender issued by the Croatian Ministry of Health and , in October, was awarded the contract for a duration of seven years. Together, the consortium brings decades of expertise in aviation, medical services and emergency response.

The service has officially started operations from four bases. Zagreb and Osijek, acting as vital hubs for rapid response in the heart of the country, are operated by Eliance with Airbus Helicopters EC135s. Rijeka and Split are to serve the extensive coastline and numerous islands and are operated by Elifriulia with Airbus H145s.

As the service takes flight, the consortium extends its gratitude to all those who supported it on this journey: the dedicated teams, our business partners and the communities it serves.